Keep Your Cereal Fresh Longer With This Clever Folding Technique

If you don't have ample time to make a homemade meal every morning, there's a strong chance you have a few boxes of cereal tucked away in your pantry to add to your ever-growing list of easy breakfasts. Quick to pour and enjoy with protein-rich milk, cereal is a popular meal, yet cereal consumption doesn't end with breakfast. In one 2017 survey, Mintel discovered 43% of U.S. consumers regularly ate cereal as a snack as well.

Who knew that the crunchy and colorful snack slash meal we've come to know and love all started with graham flour biscuits that were once too hard to eat without being drenched in milk? The New York Times outlines cereal's start in 1863 and the food's transformation from Wheaties in the 1920s to the introduction of sugary cereals with frosted flakes in the '50s. Despite the plethora of changes, cereal remains a staple for most Americans. According to Statista, in 2020 alone, 283.39 million Americans ate breakfast cereal cold. 

But despite the assumption you may have formed that cereal lasts forever, this popular breakfast-like snack does expire. Here's how to keep it fresh, right in your pantry.

If you're a diehard cereal lover, you've probably enjoyed some of the most popular breakfast cereals through the decades. But your longtime haphazard way of closing those flimsy boxes is about to be changed forever. Love Food Hate Waste recommends sealing a cereal box's inner plastic bag with a rubber band or food clip of some kind, but a new clever folding hack may make that food clip an optional necessity.

In May 2020, a mother of two from the U.K., Becky McGhee, posted a unique way of folding a cereal box on her Facebook page, and the video quickly went viral. To try out this clever technique at home, simply follow Today's step-by-step process. 

Take one of your cereal boxes and fold down the two short flaps, then one of the longer flaps used to close the box. Then, carefully push in the two short sides of the box at the top making a "V" shape while tightly pinching both sides. To finish, take the remaining flap and tuck it into the seam of the pre-folded box. (You may need to pinch the sides a few times to ensure a tight close.) Countless cereal lovers have tried this unique method of storage, praising its effectiveness at keeping those pesky cereal boxes closed for good. 

Most of us know that dry cereal makes the standard list of foods you should never refrigerate, but there are some guidelines you can follow to ensure your favorite varieties maintain optimum flavor and texture. 

When it comes to expiration dates, Does It Go Bad? says that most companies date boxes to indicate when cereal may decline in overall quality. Yet, in most cases, you're safe to consume cereal for a short time past an expiration date without posing any potential health risks. Just keep in mind that the oils used to coat cereal flakes and nuts in certain mixes run the risk of becoming rancid over time, so always look for signs of spoilage, such as mold, insect infestation, and unsavory aromas or flavors.

If you store cereal properly, though, you don't need to worry too much about enjoying your favorite variety before the box begins its slow degradation process. Jennifer Kaplan, a food systems instructor at the Culinary Institute of America, told Today that cereal is best stored in dark, temperature-controlled areas, enclosed and away from any major light or heat sources. According to FoodSafety.gov, upon purchasing, cereal lasts up to 12 months in your pantry and up to three months if stored properly in your pantry after opening.